Manager's Corner: Keep It Real

One of the professional organizations to which I belong has had its theme for the year: Keep It Real. It is meant to encourage us members to truly be experts in what we proclaim to be and do. To be honest, when I first heard the theme, I thought: Boring! However, over the past several months, I've come to appreciate it.

With the business environment becoming more and more challenging,it's been interesting to note the validity of Warren Buffet's famous saying: "Only when the tide goes out do you discover whose been swimming naked."

Just last week, as I was wrapping up a training program, one of the participants said, "You actually know this stuff don't you?" I looked at her and initially thought, "Well yeah." But then I thought,"Oh my gosh! They know when someone's snowing them and when someone actually knows the material!"

There are far too many innocent victims of these troubled times, yet there are many organizations and professionals who had been getting by with providing mediocre products or services that are now being severely tested. When the economy had been sailing along smoothly, it was relatively easy to use virtual and viral marketing techniques to hype over less-than-excellent products or services. But when money is tight, and decisions are made on legitimate value, how will your company stack up? Will your past customers continue to be repeat future customers? Have you proven that your products or services have been and will continue to be 'worth it.' Have you invested in your employees to ensure they continue to develop their expertise, skills, and experiences to be the experts in your industry?

How good is your company at doing what you say you do?
How good are your employees at being the experts in their fields?
In tough times and bad, how good are you at Keeping It Real?

Copyright 2008 - Liz Weber of Weber Business Services, LLC.
Liz speaks, consults, and trains on Leadership Development, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change. Additional articles can be found at http://www.wbsllc.com/leadership.shtmlnLiz can be reached at liz@wbsllc.com or (717)597-8890

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